The ''Haymarket Martyrs' Monument'' is a funeral monument and sculpture located at Forest Home Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Dedicated in 1893, it commemorates the defendants involved in labor unrest who were blamed, convicted, and executed for the still unsolved bombing during the

Haymarket Affair The Haymarket affair, also known as the Haymarket massacre, the Haymarket riot, the Haymarket Square riot, or the Haymarket Incident, was the aftermath of a bombing that took place at a labor demonstration on May 4, 1886 at Haymarket Square (C ...

(1886). The monument's bronze sculptural elements are by artist Albert Weinert. On February 18, 1997, the monument was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

History and description

Following the Haymarket affair, trial and executions, August Spies, Adolph Fischer, George Engel, Louis Lingg, and Albert Parsons were buried at the German Waldheim Cemetery (later merged with Forest Home Cemetery). The Pioneer Aid and Support Association organized a subscription for a funeral monument. In 1893, the ''Haymarket Martyrs' Monument'' by sculptor Albert Weinert was raised at Waldheim. It consists of a 16-foot-high granite shaft capped by a carved triangular stone. There is a two step base, which also supports a pedestal and a monumental figure of Justice, depicted as a woman standing guard over the body of a fallen worker, both in bronze. In one hand, she holds a

laurel wreath A laurel wreath is a symbol of triumph, a wreath (attire), wreath made of connected branches and leaves of the bay laurel (), an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. It was also later made from spineless butcher's broom (''Ruscus hypoglossum'') or cher ...

to crown the fallen. Resting on the top of the second step is an arrangement in bronze of

palm branch The palm branch, or palm frond, is a symbol of victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life originating in the ancient Near East and Mediterranean world. The palm ''(Phoenix (plant), Phoenix)'' was sacred in Mesopotamian religions, and in ancient E ...

es. The inscription on the pedestal reads, "1887", the year of the executions. On the first step, there is a quote attributed to Spies, recorded just before his execution by hanging: "The day will come when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you are throttling today." On the back of the monument are listed the names of the men. Above the names, a bronze plaque contains text of the pardon later issued by Governor John Peter Altgeld of Illinois. The monument was dedicated on June 25, 1893, after a march from Chicago. The dedication ceremony was attended by 8,000, with

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

flags and the American flag draped on the monument. European unions and American organizations sent flowers to be placed. A number of activists and labor leaders were subsequently buried nearby. Haymarket defendants, Michael Schwab and Oscar Neebe were also buried at the monument when they died. Samuel Fielden is the only Haymarket defendant who is not buried at Forest Home. For years, annual commemorations were held. Since the 1970s, the Illinois Labor History Society has held the deed to the monument and been responsible for its maintenance and restoration. It conducts monthly guided tours of Forest Home Cemetery from May through October.

Time capsule

In October 2016, volunteers and scientists dug near the base of the monument where they recovered an urn while searching for a lost

time capsule A time capsule is a historic treasure trove, cache of goods or information, usually intended as a deliberate method of communication with future people, and to help future archaeologists, anthropologists, or historians. The preservation of holy ...

that had been buried under the cornerstone on November 6, 1892, during the monument's construction. The urn was made of stone or concrete and capped in marble, tall and wide. According to a list in the records of the Pioneer Aid and Support Association, the lost time capsule is to contain newspaper articles, letters to and from the Haymarket defendants, and photographs of the men and their families. It also held trial documents, essays, and letters and testimonials from a number of labor unions and fraternal organizations. In addition, it may contain a bust of August Spies. Research is ongoing to determine the location of the time capsule. The group that discovered the urn cylinder also found a smaller concrete cube thought to be a cremation vault for the ashes of Haymarket martyr Oscar Neebe, pardoned by Gov. John Altgeld, who died in 1916.

Gallery

HayMarket100a.jpg, Utah Phillips speaking in May 1986, during ceremonies commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Haymarket affair. File:Haymarket-Martyrs-Memorial-detail-02.jpg, ''Haymarket Martyrs' Monument'' detail File:Haymarket-Martyrs-Memorial-detail-01.jpg, Inscription at the base of the ''Haymarket Martyrs' Monument'', "The day will come when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you are throttling today." File:Haymarket Martyr's Memorial Rear.jpg, ''Haymarket Martyrs' Monument'', rear, with text of the pardon on bronze tablet, and names of the "martyrs". File:Haymarket-Martyrs-NHL-plaque.jpg,

plaque, at site of the ''Haymarket Martyrs' Monument''; added in 1997.

References

External links

''Haymarket Martyrs Monument'', ''wikimapia''"Haymarket Memorial", ''wikimapia''
*http://chicago-outdoor-sculptures.blogspot.com/2009/03/haymarket-memorial.html {{Haymarket affair National Register of Historic Places in Cook County, Illinois National Historic Landmarks in Illinois Works about the Haymarket affair History of Chicago Labor monuments and memorials Monuments and memorials on the National Register of Historic Places in Illinois Sculptures of women in Illinois Cemetery art Martyrs' monuments and memorials

History and description

Time capsule

Gallery

See also

References

External links